Tension Boils Over
by Andorian Ice Princess-AIP
Summary: They were both in the same frame of mind so it wasn't surprising they ended up at the same place at the same time needing the same thing. Based on some parts from eppy 1.21 Retaliation Hit, Contains some spoilers (missing broment scene)


**Title: Tension Boils Over**

**Summary: **They were both in the same frame of mind so it wasn't surprising they ended up at the same place at the same time needing the same thing. Based on some parts from eppy 1.21 Retaliation Hit, Contains some spoilers (missing broment scene)

**Disclaimer: **Chicago Fire and its characters are the property of Dick Wolfe, NBC and….well sadly not me if so then the ever yummy Lt. Casey would be all mine and we'd have a sweet broment every single eppy!

**A/N:** Okay so I have very mixed emotions about last night's eppy. I don't like where they are taking Severide or what's forecast for Casey and will keep my thoughts about the stupid love triangle (barf) and the possible upcoming death (sobs) to other boards lol I was however VERY DISAPPOINTED that it was Mills in the ring and not Casey! I mean hellooooo writers you had Severide mention the ring to Casey (in a Voight-centric eppy no less) and now you don't make good on that? Well then Alice will! Okay hope you all like this would have been missing scene! And for the sake of things lets have it after the eppy ended so all the Voight crap is out and on the table lol *oye*

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When Antonio had told him that Voight had made some kind of lame deal, his mind raced. Hallie had just come back and for the first time in months things had felt settled; hopeful even. Now would he have to spend every single moment watching his back? Being on edge? Allowing someone else to dictate his life course or else?

Voight was out.

Not only was he out, but he was back seemingly larger than life, tossing his ego and cash around like nothing in the world was wrong.

Like nothing had happened. He had walked into that bar, like he was the owner, offering everyone an 'I dare you to defy me Cheshire-cat like smile' and then coming up to him and Hallie and trying to make amends by offering the most contrived of apologies; something neither of them for a second bought. The false expression of sincerity something a person born blind would not have been fooled by but maybe called him on – in a more private setting. He had wanted to enjoy the night at his friend's bar, instead he spent the evening watching Voight strut around like a big shot and grumble over the fact that his beer wasn't tasting as good as it could have.

_'I'm back to stay,' _Voight had whispered just before he left earlier that night; forcing Casey's fists to curl in contempt.

"Bastard," Casey whispers as he brings his truck to a sudden halt, his fist angrily slamming the gear shaft into park seconds before he looks to his right, gazing at the darkened establishment in frustration. With Severide facing possible charges, he had wanted to focus on Hallie and Kelly; now events would be forcing him to once again worry about a man that had tried to have him killed and if things had indeed changed as Voight said they had

"Acted like it was nothing," Casey grumbles as he gets out of his truck, slams the door shut and storms toward the entrance to the quiet gym, letting himself inside and stopping to stare a few moments at the empty ring before him. His mind flashes back a few months to an image of him storming up to Voight's front door and then punching the dirty cop right in the face.

"Damn," Casey lightly whispers as he gives his head a shake and the image fades; his legs however, refusing to take a step forward. When they finally do, he doesn't get very far as a few seconds later the door to the quiet gym is pulled open and a very frustrated but familiar face appears.

"Hey."

"Hey."

Sexual harassment accusations. Another member of his team gone almost without warning. Internal bickering over his choices and a few stupid moves on his part had brought his world to a crashing halt.

_This can't be happening, _Severide's mind had spiraled downward as he headed to the gym later that same night; the night of Molly's grand opening. Tara was taking things further than he ever expected and he was facing possible criminal charges? Then Hadley had acted like a childish ass toward a fellow fire fighter and got himself sent packing and then Voight had made a comment about knowing his father and forcing him to ponder a route he didn't want to ponder.

How did things get to this? How did they get so out of control? Tara's escalation was partly his fault and had he listened to Mouch's sage advice maybe things would have remained stagnant. Maybe. But they weren't and he was about to explode if he held it all in for much longer. Hallie was back and Casey finally looked happy and settled but then Voight had come into the bar and he heard from Shay that Casey was about to boil over – holding back only for those around him only pasting on a fake smile but remaining mostly silent the rest of the night while Voight was still around.

So when he steps through the doors into the quiet gym, he's sort of surprised at the weary face that greets him back. However, deep inside, he's not as surprised as he should be. Not after the events of the past few days. Casey needed this just as much as him, maybe more?

"Coming or going?" Severide asks in a quiet tone.

"Coming…I think," Casey lightly huffs as he drops his bag at his feet and looks around and then back at Severide. "How you holding up?"

"I'm not," Severide admits as he pulls away and heads for the ring, standing before it and staring into the empty space with a heavy frown. "I just can't believe things have gone this far. And that stupid stunt with Hadley…" his voice trails off into an angry curse as he feels Casey's frame settle in next to his.

"You talk to him about it?"

"Gave me some lame excuse about how he had worked twice as hard and as long and…it was the same stuff everyone's saying. Hey I'm only backing Mills. The kid has ambition, that isn't my fault. But in the end Boden makes the final call, not me. Hadley acting that way was stupid, he got what he deserved."

"Boden made the right call," Casey adds quietly.

"He did," Severide agrees with a small groan.

"Voight's back, gets a promotion and suddenly we have to forget everything that's happened?"

"How's Hallie with all this?"

"Angry. She doesn't trust him and neither one of us believed that fake apology. But I guess money talks and if you know the right insiders who are as corrupt as you, you can do just about anything," Casey's voice dies to a soft hiss as he turns and heads toward the bench, jerking his arms roughly out of his jacket, his left one getting tangled.

"Hold on a sec," Severide mentions in a lower tone as he takes Casey's left arm and reaches for the button closure on the sleeve that had got caught in a fabric snag. "All clear."

"Thanks," Casey mumbles as he finally tosses off his jacket; Severide following suit. "Don't know if you want to get in there with me."

"You think Voight's worse than Tara?" Severide retorts with a small huff of frustration.

"Point taken."

"Maybe they're related?"

"Can you imagine that Sunday dinner?"

"Squad's down another man and…if I fast track Mills before he's ready I could be putting lives in jeopardy."

"Chief will keep an eye on his teams; but you gotta be smart about this Tara stuff."

"I have met some vindictive women in my time but this one…wow," Severide's voice trials off to a whispered curse as he too pulls on his boxing gloves and both of them give the other a nod. "You sure you want to get in there with me?"

"Just don't cold clock me," Casey lightly chuckles as the two of, now dressed in only jeans, tees and the gloves, climb into the ring and square off. At first the jabs are light and pulled; neither of them wanting to do harm or damage to the other, for in reality their fight was against others.

"Dirty double crossing bastard!" Casey growls as his anger finally surges and he hits Severide hard in the side; forcing his fellow 51 Lieutenant to step back in surprise. "Sorry."

"Double dirty crossing bitch!" Severide counters with his own stiff punch to Casey's left; both of them pulling back and breathing hard.

"Felt good right?"

"It did."

"Okay then, let's do this."

"Okay."

Casey's right barrels into the glove of Severide's left; Severide's frame pulling back. But he counters with his own hit to Casey's glove and it's Casey's turn to pull back. Since they didn't have head protectors on, hitting the head was out but the rest of their exposed bodies were fair game. Casey's body falters to the right as Severide's well padded fist hits his hip; Casey countering with a jab to his forearm and then both pulling back a few feet to allow their hearts and lungs to settle back into a normal pattern.

They rest a few seconds longer before starting up again; each striking the other, not as with as much force as if they were hitting the bag, but at the same time silently encouraging the other to just let it out – they could take it. It was what they could do for the other right now.

"I think…I'd like to hit…Voight…right in the face…right about now," Casey pants as he pulls and rests against the rails; his back and chest damp. He rubs a bit of sweat off his brow, pushing his damp dirty blond locks up and earning a small smirk from his sparring partner. "You find that amusing?"

"I find this amusing," Severide counters with a smirk as he uses his gloves to create a crude faux-hawk atop Casey's head; Casey shaking his head as the two of them rest a few moments longer.

"Glad I could be of some amusement to you after such a trying day."

"That's what brothers are for right?"

"Little brothers?" Casey looks at him with a less than amused expression.

"Course," Severide smirks as he playfully jabs Casey in the shoulder. "Need all the brotherly support right now I can get."

"It will work out in your favor."

"Wish I had your confidence."

"Then I'll have it for both of us. Just stay away from her."

"Thought I could reason with her you know? Ask why she's doing this."

"Maybe she is related to Voight, both seem beyond reason," Casey mentions offhandedly, drawing a small chuckle from Severide as they both stand face to face once more.

"On that note!" Severide growls as he raises his fist to strike. "Ah little brother's quick on his feet."

"Well I am a quick learner, I have to be."

Casey quickly counters and within seconds they were trading blow for blow and curse for curse. About ten minutes later the two of them finally pull apart for what would be the final time that night, sweat drenched and breathing hard.

Nothing had been resolved or settled – that wasn't the point of their fortuitous encounter. It was to blow off steam, using the other as a viable sparing partner; using the privacy of the empty gym to confide in each other about tension they were both facing in real life – situations pushing them to finally boil over and then to call it a night.

"Ahhh!" Severide offers with one last growl as he hits the hardened side of the ring. Casey quickly pulls back his arm before he can do it again.

"You want some bag time?" He suggests as the two of them slowly leave the ring. Severide doesn't give Casey a verbal answer, merely walks over to the stagnant bag and throws all his weight behind his hit – something he wasn't about to direct toward Casey's frame.

"I hate this!" Severide states loudly as he strikes the bag with his left; his mind racing with whatever outcome Tara's actions would be causing. "I can't have worked so hard…and wanted something so much…to lose it all to some…fluuzy!"

Casey watches Severide strike the bag again and can only nod in agreement with his angry words; it wasn't fair. As much as he know Severide has earned his reputation as a womanizer, he hasn't had one yet accuse him of crossing the line – he wasn't that guy. He respected women and their boundaries, no meant no. But when the no was coming from him it seems like this reputation wasn't doing him any favors and this vindictive woman was taking advantage of it. It was wrong and unfair and he could only hope in the end, Tara got her just deserts.

"I hate this!"

Casey tries to step out of the way of the oncoming hit but misjudges his steps and left forearm ends up on the receiving end of the forceful blow, causing him to nearly lose his footing as he stumbles backward.

"Matt! Damn it!" Severide curses as he quickly grabs at Casey and pulls him back before he could crash onto the bench and sustain further pain. "You okay?"

"Am okay."

"Time's up…anyways," Severide lightly gasps as he waits for Casey to nod that he's okay and then both of them slump down onto the nearby bench, breathing hard. "I can't believe it's come to this."

"You know I'll do what I can right?"

"I know," Severide nods. "I just don't know what to do next. I'm scared Matt…this job…it's my life and now…"

"Hey don't rush things. Nothing's been determined yet," Casey reminds him firmly.

"Can you see a positive ending to all this?"

"Maybe…" he starts and then stops. "Okay speculating will only drive us both crazy and there are other issues to deal with."

"Mills."

"To name just one," Casey nods as he leans back against the cool stone wall, both of them starting absently at the silent ring a few meters in front of them.

"Squad," Severide reluctantly mentions as looks over at Casey with a small frown.

"What?" Casey wonders.

"Hermann didn't ask for ID when you ordered that drink?" He teases as a small smile tugs at the corners of his lips; earning an instant eye roll from Casey.

"As a matter of fact, he did. And only because you told him to right?"

"Me?" Severide feigns ignorance before he snickers at Casey's expense.

"So you had a laugh at my expense," Casey nods as his face softens and he smiles. "Hope you at least enjoyed it."

"Would have been better if I was right there at the time."

"Next time," Casey smirks as he glances over at Severide's suddenly cloudy expression.

"What do I do Matt?"

"I don't know. But as lame as this might sound, take it a day at a time."

"Yeah," Severide's voice dies as he holds up his still gloved hand. "Brothers."

"Always," Casey offers a solid punch, the two fists connecting for a few brief seconds of visible solidarity.

"You know speaking of next time," Severide teases as they both finally stand up and prepare to leave.

"What makes you think there will be a next time?" Casey counters in mock seriousness as Severide grins and slaps him on the back.

**THE END!**

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**A/N:** Okay thoughts? I just had to get this off my chest b/c I think both of them would have needed the boxing match more so than Mills (sorry Mills I like you but I like my boys bestest! Lol) please do review as I would love your thoughts on this also and thanks so much!

**PS:** Yes Zero Degrees will update next promise!


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